Tunisia

Africa

Region

Tunis

Capital

11,403,248

Population

163,610 SQ. KM

Area

$42.1 billion

GDP

$11,631

GDP per capita, ppp

Overview

Tunisia is a small Arab country in North Africa that represents both the aspirations of freedom and struggles against terrorism that roil the region. Along with neighbors Algeria and Libya, it lines the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, a strategic location that has attracted Romans, Arabs, Ottoman Turks and others over the years.

In 1956, the Republic of Tunisia claimed independence from France. Though not an official language, French is still spoken by two-thirds of the population.

After gaining independence, politician Habib Bourguiba became the nation’s first president, and the nation flourished despite his authoritarian rule. Tunisia boasted a strong market-based economy and relatively liberal social policies that were quite contrary to other regional neighbors.

Sri Lanka: A Sri Lankan vendor selling South Indian snacks awaits customers along the Galle Face seafront at dusk in Colombo, a bustling capital city with a long history as a trade port. Often referred to as the teardrop of India, the island nation of Sri Lanka sits just off the southeast tip of the subcontinent. (Eranga Jayawardena/AP)

Indonesia: Tourists surf a wave at Lhoknga Beach near the city of Banda Aceh on Indonesia's island of Sumatra. The city and beach were devastated after a tsunami hit the western coast of the island in 2004, but the aftermath brought an ease to political tensions in the region and a flood of domestic and international aid that have helped with much needed reconstruction and modernization in the past decade. (Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP/Getty Images)

Chile: Flowers bloom in the Huasco region of the Atacama Desert, north of Chile's capital city, Santiago. The Andes mountains line the desert to the east, blocking rain and helping to make it one of the driest places in the world. (Carlos Aguilar/AFP/Getty Images)

Hungary: A blanket of clouds cover Hungary's capital, Budapest, at sunset. The city, bisected by the Danube River and full of architectural grandeur, is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. (Balazs Mohai/AP)

Dominican Republic: People participate in a Gaga ceremony, a Lenten ritual that is a combination of Voodoo, Christianity and Santeria religions, near the sugar cane plantation in La Romana. The Dominican Republic's economic shift away from agriculture and poor public services have made settlements around sugar mills, called bateyes, some of the nation's poorest. (Erika Santelices/AFP/Getty Images)

Uruguay: Colonia del Sacramento, a city founded in 1680 by Portuguese colonizers, faces Buenos Aires across the Rio de la Plata, or Silver River, which feeds into the Atlantic Ocean. Uruguay's culture remains quite heavily influenced by Southern Europe due to early Spanish and Portuguese settlers. (Matilde Campodonico/AP)

Tunisia: An intricate labyrinth of passageways snake through capital city Tunis, glimpsed from atop a colorfully tiled sultan's palace. The medina, a distinct Arab quarter in the North African city, has preserved its history well and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post/Getty Images)

Bulgaria: Two women chat in the village of Kutela in the Rhodope mountains of Bulgaria. Sitting at the junction of Europe and Asia, the nation has a rich, diverse heritage and culture that mixes East and West. (Nikolay Doychinov/AFP/Getty Images)

Colombia: Indigenous children from the Nasa ethnic group meet cousins on their way to school in the rural village of Las Guacas along the west coast of Colombia. The country's economy, one of Latin America's largest, is driven by its rich natural resources including petroleum, coal, gold and coffee. (Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images)

Romania: A Roma woman is reflected in a window as she walks in the streets of Petrosani, a city in the Transylvania region of Romania. The country received a $26 billion bailout in 2010 sponsored by the International Monetary Fund, but unemployment and poverty continue to plague about a quarter of the population. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images)

Jordan: Horse carriages bring tourists through the ancient city of Petra, a famous Middle East landmark renowned worldwide for its distinctive rock-cut architecture. A law passed in 2016 will regulate the working conditions of the horses and their owners. (Khalil Mazraawi/AFP/Getty Images)

Guatemala: Despite the size and growth of the nation's economy, inequality persists in Guatemala, where the gap between rich and poor is among the highest in Latin America. An upscale private neighborhood in the city of Palin presents one side of the spectrum. (Rodrigo Abd/AP)

Azerbaijan: Heavy mountain winds blow through Xinaliq, a remote village located on a summit in the Caucasus Mountains in Azerbaijan. The village dates back at least 5,000 years, and its inhabitants have preserved their own language and unique way of life. (Reza/Getty Images)

Bolivia: A lorry loaded with ore crosses the Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt pan, in the southwest region of Bolivia. The nation possesses considerable natural resources, including about 40 percent of global lithium reserves. (Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images)

Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan, the world's largest landlocked country, is located mostly in Central Asia, with a small section in easternmost Europe. The country has the largest economy in the region, fueled mostly by its vast natural resources. (Getty Images)

Pakistan: Plum trees blossom in Peshawar, one of South Asia's oldest cities, located in the north of Pakistan near the Khyber Pass. Settlements in the region are some of the oldest in the world and most heavily travelled in history, but Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militant groups remain especially active in the northern region. (Mohammad Sajjad/AP)

NigeriaNigeria: A father and son fish in a pond in the Kaduna State of northwest Nigeria. Home to some of the nation's most recognized universities and a free education policy, Kaduna State is considered one of Nigeria's education capitals. (Getty Images)

Iran: A promenade along the Zayandeh River marks part of the Silk Road traveled by merchants for centuries. Modern Iranians can find respite from the bustling city of Isfahan under the Khaju Bridge that crosses the river. (Getty Images)

Ukraine: Eastern Orthodox Christianity finds its preeminent center in Ukraine's capital city with the historic Kiev Monastery of the Caves, or Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. The country has a rich history in literature, music, architecture and folk art, including “pysanky,” Ukrainian Easter eggs. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Algeria: A man marks his prayer space with stones in Tamanrasset, a town in the majority Sunni Muslim nation of Algeria. Paintings dating from the Paleolithic Age can be seen on some rock faces in the volcanic region, standing the test of time in the heavily touristed area. (Reza/Getty Images)

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Sri Lanka: A Sri Lankan vendor selling South Indian snacks awaits customers along the Galle Face seafront at dusk in Colombo, a bustling capital city with a long history as a trade port. Often referred to as the teardrop of India, the island nation of Sri Lanka sits just off the southeast tip of the subcontinent. (Eranga Jayawardena/AP)

Indonesia: Tourists surf a wave at Lhoknga Beach near the city of Banda Aceh on Indonesia's island of Sumatra. The city and beach were devastated after a tsunami hit the western coast of the island in 2004, but the aftermath brought an ease to political tensions in the region and a flood of domestic and international aid that have helped with much needed reconstruction and modernization in the past decade. (Chaideer Mahyuddin/AFP/Getty Images)

Chile: Flowers bloom in the Huasco region of the Atacama Desert, north of Chile's capital city, Santiago. The Andes mountains line the desert to the east, blocking rain and helping to make it one of the driest places in the world. (Carlos Aguilar/AFP/Getty Images)

Hungary: A blanket of clouds cover Hungary's capital, Budapest, at sunset. The city, bisected by the Danube River and full of architectural grandeur, is considered one of the most beautiful in Europe. (Balazs Mohai/AP)

Dominican Republic: People participate in a Gaga ceremony, a Lenten ritual that is a combination of Voodoo, Christianity and Santeria religions, near the sugar cane plantation in La Romana. The Dominican Republic's economic shift away from agriculture and poor public services have made settlements around sugar mills, called bateyes, some of the nation's poorest. (Erika Santelices/AFP/Getty Images)

Uruguay: Colonia del Sacramento, a city founded in 1680 by Portuguese colonizers, faces Buenos Aires across the Rio de la Plata, or Silver River, which feeds into the Atlantic Ocean. Uruguay's culture remains quite heavily influenced by Southern Europe due to early Spanish and Portuguese settlers. (Matilde Campodonico/AP)

Tunisia: An intricate labyrinth of passageways snake through capital city Tunis, glimpsed from atop a colorfully tiled sultan's palace. The medina, a distinct Arab quarter in the North African city, has preserved its history well and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. (Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post/Getty Images)

Bulgaria: Two women chat in the village of Kutela in the Rhodope mountains of Bulgaria. Sitting at the junction of Europe and Asia, the nation has a rich, diverse heritage and culture that mixes East and West. (Nikolay Doychinov/AFP/Getty Images)

Colombia: Indigenous children from the Nasa ethnic group meet cousins on their way to school in the rural village of Las Guacas along the west coast of Colombia. The country's economy, one of Latin America's largest, is driven by its rich natural resources including petroleum, coal, gold and coffee. (Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images)

Romania: A Roma woman is reflected in a window as she walks in the streets of Petrosani, a city in the Transylvania region of Romania. The country received a $26 billion bailout in 2010 sponsored by the International Monetary Fund, but unemployment and poverty continue to plague about a quarter of the population. (Daniel Mihailescu/AFP/Getty Images)

Jordan: Horse carriages bring tourists through the ancient city of Petra, a famous Middle East landmark renowned worldwide for its distinctive rock-cut architecture. A law passed in 2016 will regulate the working conditions of the horses and their owners. (Khalil Mazraawi/AFP/Getty Images)

Guatemala: Despite the size and growth of the nation's economy, inequality persists in Guatemala, where the gap between rich and poor is among the highest in Latin America. An upscale private neighborhood in the city of Palin presents one side of the spectrum. (Rodrigo Abd/AP)

Azerbaijan: Heavy mountain winds blow through Xinaliq, a remote village located on a summit in the Caucasus Mountains in Azerbaijan. The village dates back at least 5,000 years, and its inhabitants have preserved their own language and unique way of life. (Reza/Getty Images)

Bolivia: A lorry loaded with ore crosses the Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt pan, in the southwest region of Bolivia. The nation possesses considerable natural resources, including about 40 percent of global lithium reserves. (Aizar Raldes/AFP/Getty Images)

Kazakhstan: Kazakhstan, the world's largest landlocked country, is located mostly in Central Asia, with a small section in easternmost Europe. The country has the largest economy in the region, fueled mostly by its vast natural resources. (Getty Images)

Pakistan: Plum trees blossom in Peshawar, one of South Asia's oldest cities, located in the north of Pakistan near the Khyber Pass. Settlements in the region are some of the oldest in the world and most heavily travelled in history, but Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militant groups remain especially active in the northern region. (Mohammad Sajjad/AP)

NigeriaNigeria: A father and son fish in a pond in the Kaduna State of northwest Nigeria. Home to some of the nation's most recognized universities and a free education policy, Kaduna State is considered one of Nigeria's education capitals. (Getty Images)

Iran: A promenade along the Zayandeh River marks part of the Silk Road traveled by merchants for centuries. Modern Iranians can find respite from the bustling city of Isfahan under the Khaju Bridge that crosses the river. (Getty Images)

Ukraine: Eastern Orthodox Christianity finds its preeminent center in Ukraine's capital city with the historic Kiev Monastery of the Caves, or Kyiv Pechersk Lavra. The country has a rich history in literature, music, architecture and folk art, including “pysanky,” Ukrainian Easter eggs. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Algeria: A man marks his prayer space with stones in Tamanrasset, a town in the majority Sunni Muslim nation of Algeria. Paintings dating from the Paleolithic Age can be seen on some rock faces in the volcanic region, standing the test of time in the heavily touristed area. (Reza/Getty Images)

Trade expanded greatly, reminiscent of times when the ancient seaport Carthage was one of the richest in the world. Agriculture and textile exports to the European Union fueled economic trade, along with tourism and foreign investment. Investments were made in education and infrastructure, and women’s rights were supported.

By the end of 2010, rising inflation and a lack of political freedom combined with high unemployment - particularly among college graduates - ignited public protests that would grow across the country and eventually force the government to step down. The protests in Tunisia set off the “Arab Spring” wave of demonstrations across much of the Arab World that called for greater freedoms.

A $500 million loan from the African Development Bank in 2011 has helped Tunisia stabilize and rebuild trust between key trade partners in the European Union. But a nation that once repressed Islamic fundamentalism is growing increasingly conservative, and disparities between the developed coastal region and impoverished interior remain.

A new constitution was signed in 2014, and transfer of power was smooth. By the end of 2015 the country’s National Dialogue Quartet had won the Nobel Peace Prize for its part in building democracy. While Tunisia has departed from much of the region by withstanding terror attacks, high unemployment and inflation to form a budding democracy, the country remains at a governing crossroads.

Tunisia is a member of key international organizations, including the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the League of Arab States and the African Union.

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